Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Female MC Edition)
by William Stockholm
Summary: It was thought that there were only two people from the past and the future with the Wild Card ability. Now, there is a third person who also has the same ability as the two, the fact that she doesn't exist in the regular timeline to join in the adventure. Together, they will solve the mystery and true purpose behind the labyrinth.
1. Prolegomenon of Fate

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Female MC Edition)

Prolegomenon of Fate

_**This is the 6**__**th**__** story written by William Stockholm. Disclaimer: the author does not own the Shin Megami Tensei series, specifically the Persona series. All rights belong to Atlus**_

"_Do not be afraid; our fate _

_Cannot be taken from us; it is a gift"_

_-Dante Alighieri, Inferno_

September 20 2009

Paulownia Mall, a place where people, usually students from a prestigious school called Gekkoukan High, hang out after a long day of studying and listening to lectures. Today's the day they finally catch a break from school or work.

Some relaxed in the Chagall Café where they drank the famous Pheromone Coffee that is said to increase the charisma of the drinker while others dance at Club Escapade. Occasionally, to make things more enjoyable, the students would play video games at Game Panic while some just sing their hearts out at Mandragora.

Amongst the students hanging out in Paulownia Mall at present was a sixteen-year old girl named Kotone Shiome a second year in Gekkoukan High. She has this bubbly expression around her and her crimson eyes had a cheerful glint in it. She wears the standard Gekkoukan High uniform with a red mp3 player hanging around her neck and a red armband that has the words SEES in it. She has auburn hair tied into a high ponytail with silver barrettes that form the numbers XII.

Unbeknownst to the students, Kotone has a special power known as the wild card ability, an ability that lets her summon a person's personality called Personas to fight malevolent manifestations called Shadows. She utilizes this power to investigate a massive tower that appears at midnight in her school and save mankind from the Apathy Syndrome, a condition that reduces the victims to a vegetative state. Her power is like the number zero; empty, yet holds infinite possibilities within itself.

Kotone walked under the Mandragora Karaoke Bar and stood in front of a wall. She took out a velvet key and inserted it into nothing but a wall in front of her. A door then magically appeared in front of her. Only those who signed the contract may see and enter the magical door that leads to a place where mind and matter coexisting with dreams and reality called the Velvet Room.

Before she entered, Kotone heard a bell ringing rather clearly. She glanced back to see where the source of the sound was until it slowly fades away. To her surprise, the people around her did not hear the bell, as if they did not hear it in the first place.

Kotone was about to enter when a spider suddenly appeared in just a few inches away from her face. Instinctively, she swatted the spider away. Today is just getting stranger and stranger she thought. Then again, fighting Shadows during the Dark Hour in Tartarus was no exception.

The auburn haired girl, wanting to avoid the sudden occurrences hastily, turned the key and entered the Velvet Room. However, little did she know that the Velvet Room is inseparable from its guest's fate. Nothing meaningless happens there.

* * *

"Welcome to the Velvet Room…" a voice greeted Kotone as she arrived.

A spacious "elevator" that seems to be ascending into forever, the place Kotone entered was entirely filled with the color of velvet, from the floors to the furniture. However, that was not the case.

The one who greeted the auburn haired was a bizarre old man sitting at the center of the Velvet Room, his bulging, bloodshot eyes welcoming her. He wears a black suit and white gloves. His most striking feature was his long, sharp nose. His name is Igor, the Proprietor of the Velvet Room and the one who provides vital services of Persona Fusion.

Next to him was a young man with a white, sweptback crew cut and golden eyes. He wears bellboy attire consisting of a black collared and long sleeved shirt under a velvet suit with a tie and on his was a thick tome. He is Theodore, Igor's assistant and a resident of the Velvet Room.

Kotone sat down in front of Igor. The Velvet Room is usually calm and quiet, saved for the sound of the elevator. However, for some reason, she felt that the atmosphere is tensed, as if something foreboding is going to happen.

"Do you see the signs happening in the outside world recently?" Igor asked, breaking the silence.

Kotone took this by surprise but did not say anything. Nothing much happened this month recently as she think about it. She and the volleyball team went to Yasoinaba for an interschool sports exchange with Yasogami High, went dungeon exploring in Tartarus and a typhoon arrived in Tatsumi Port Island, cancelling the Culture Festival for safety reasons. She was really bummed about the cancelation though.

"Have you felt a storm brewing up?" Igor once again asked, this time, in a cryptic tone. "Storms have the tendency to disrupt one's core, not just the body. It can change one's own decisions, peace, and beliefs. Storms can also shake fate and even time itself." He magically summoned a deck of cards and laid it at the table like dealer in a casino. "Like a fog that obstructs one's sight, everyone covers eyes from the truth they do not wish to see. Therefore, there will be no choice but to face what was hidden while their eyes were averted."

The auburn girl look puzzled; what Igor was talking about was beyond her. Most of his conversations were his insights of Kotone social links and her powers. This time, however, he is commenting rather strangely, as if there is something going to happen.

"What do you mean?" Kotone couldn't help but asked.

Igor chuckled. "Do not worry," he replied reassuringly. "Everything will make sense soon. All it takes is a bell, book and a candle…"

After he said it, business in the Velvet has begun. Kotone used Igor's services to fuse several Personas into a powerful one. She then acquired other Personas from Theodore with the use of the tome called the Persona Compendium he usually carries. She also shared conversations with him, mostly about the outside world he is curious about.

"I am truly sorry that your Culture Festival was cancelled" Theodore said solemnly. "I would wish to see such festivities in your institution one day and try out some of these candy that are made out of cotton. What manufacturing trickery was employed to accomplish it?" Despite looking like a reserved character, Theodore is actually a bit of an egotist whenever the auburn girl escorts him to the outside world. It goes for show that he is quite humorous to see him how naïve and gullible he actually is, especially when he is outside of the Velvet Room.

"Maybe next time" Kotone suggested. "If the Culture Festival could move into a later date, I could invite you."

The bellboy beamed enthusiastically. "Oh joy!" he said in excitement. "I'll put it up at the request at once!"

As the two were talking amiably about Culture Festivals, the sounds of the alarm blared though out the Velvet Room, surprising Kotone and Theodore. Igor, on the other hand, looked calm even though the alarm was blaring loudly. Instead, he was grinning from ear to ear. "The wheel of Fate is turning" he responded.

On cue, the gates of the Velvet Room opened...

_**It's been, what, a year since I written a story that is satisfactory to write for once. I wrote several stories, though not related to this one, and they have this lack of plot and purpose that I almost gave up. All of my previous attempts before writing this story were a failure.**_

_**The reason I chose to write this story because I love the Persona series for its unique characters, character development, and plot. Although I did not play the entire series, currently, I am playing Persona Q and I love I so fart. Right now, I am almost done finishing the game (BTW, I am playing as Yu Narukami/ Souji Seta. The guy's awesome, especially in Persona 4 the Animation, though I regret not play the game itself).**_

_**As I played through the game, a thought struck me: what if I integrate the female MC into Persona Q? Theodore is a part of it, despite being a character in a non-canon game related to Persona 3 after all. Also, I look upon and notice that there is not a single story related to Persona Q, aside from Zen and Rei. After mulling over the plot and watching the P3 side a bit for some information, I finally put it into text and started writing (or typing if you want to get technical. **_

_**Note: Instead of using Minako or Hamuko and Arisato or Yuki, I, more or less, used her name provided from the Shin Megami Tensei Wiki since the first and last name have six letters each and it was from a play. I want to try at least to have a story that has a bit of the flow in the game. And besides, Minako is a popular name in the west while Hamuko is the same in the east. Also, Arisato and Yuki is reserved for the P3 hero, except for his first name in the play which his name is Sakuya.**_

_**Enjoy the story! Comments and reviews are welcome**_


	2. Yasogami High

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Female MC Edition)

The Culture Festival

"_Life is a journey. When we stop, things don't go right"_

_\- Pope Francis_

As the gates of the Velvet Room opened, a dazzling light temporarily blinds Kotone and Theodore. Before they knew it, they heard a crowd of voices beyond the golden gates.

When the light faded, they saw something that surprised them. Students were walking in the hallway, chatting enthusiastically with each other. Some of the students wore makeup and advertised their music to others who are passing by, saying they will perform at the Music Room. Stalls were set there, serving a variety of delicious Japanese street food such as takoyaki and yakisoba.

_Where are we? _ Kotone wondered to herself with confusion. They were in the Velvet Room a moment ago. The next thing, they were suddenly in some school that the auburn haired girl somehow vaguely recognized but could not put a finger on the name of the school.

She approached one of the students who were passing by. "Excuse me" Kotone said to them. "What is the name of the school?"

"Yasogami High," the student replied enthusiastically.

_Yasogami High?_ Kotone thought to herself. She recalled the time a few weeks ago that she and members of the Volleyball Club went to a rural town of Inaba for a sports fellowship there. Aside from the rigorous exercise made by one of its ambitious members, Kotone had fun there.

_But how in the world did Theodore and I end up here?_ She wondered, snapping back to reality. "I was wondering if you could-"

"This Culture Festival is awesome!" he cuts in all of the sudden. Kotone was slightly taken aback by the student's sudden outburst of excitement. Just to be sure, she asked where is Yasogami High, even though she knew the answer. His reply to her question was so off topic that Kotone questioned if it was a joke. _Something's not right here…_

Kotone glanced at Theodore for guidance but she only found the bellboy to be enjoying this strange territory, apparently eating a mouthful of cotton candy and bought himself a souvenir, a blue dango keychain. He approached the auburn haired girl with smile on his face. "I didn't know that this Culture Festival is so much fun!" he remarked, apparently enjoying himself. "I tasted this 'cotton' candy and it was delicious! Such concoction should be recognized as the most nectarean delicacy the world has ever made! I can't believe we were treated by this wonderful event right now."

Kotone sighed and shook her head. There are times that she thought the bellboy was either innocent or a scatterbrain. "Theodore, do you know what is going on?" she questioned, getting to the point. "Where in the world are we?"

Theodore's face became serious. "We were somehow summoned by the Velvet Room," he explained. "I don't know the reasons behind it but…" the bellboy paused for a moment, thinking. "Why don't we discuss this with Master? Perhaps he has some insights on what's going on."

The auburn haired was about to agree with Theodore but she hesitated for a moment. Though asking Igor is a good idea, Kotone doubted that he would provide a definite answer. Nevertheless, she went on Theodore's suggestion and went back to where they came from.

But when they entered Kotone and Theodore were surprised that the gates of the Velvet Room turned into a small velvet tent. "That's odd" Theodore noted, raising a brow. "I do not recall the Velvet Room being a fortune teller's tent."

* * *

Never had the Velvet Room turned into something so surreal.

By the time Kotone and Theodore entered the Velvet Room, its interior has somehow changed. The elevator has transformed into a vast space with velvet long stairs that lead into nothing and rotating gears floating in the air.

But the most prominent feature of the new Velvet Room were three, adamantine doors with four locks in it that seem to be unbreakable. On top of these doors were threes whose eye sockets glow blue, red, and yellow respectively.

The bellboy inspected the doors and tugged the chains that bind it. After much effort in trying to taking it off, he let go of the chains and shook his head. "Even with my strength, I cannot removed these chains," Theodore said. "Perhaps my sister could remove it since she is stronger than I, but…" he shuddered for some reason before maintain his bearings. "Since we are in a strange predicament, I cannot contact her."

Kotone looked at the iron doors. _Could this be an exit?_

There they saw Igor sitting on an armchair with a square table in front of him, untroubled by the Velvet Room's sudden change of décor. "Welcome to the Velvet Room" the Long Nose greeted in his usual voice.

"Do you know what's going on?" she demanded. "Were you the one who brought me here for a reason? What are these doors?"

The Proprietor looked around his surroundings with his bloodshot eyes and grinned. "It was not my intention in bringing you in such a strange place but the Velvet Room" he replied. "We, too, the residents of this plane between the conscious and unconscious, were summoned here after all. The Velvet room is inseparable from its guest's fate; nothing meaningless happens those doors" he indicated at the three iron doors. "Would, perhaps, be the only way of getting out of this world."

_The Velvet Room brought us here? _She thought to herself.

"Why don't you look investigate the area?" Igor suggested thoughtfully, interrupting the auburn haired girl's musings. "The answers to your questions will lie in you in wonderland…"

Puzzled, Kotone nodded and left the Velvet Room without a word, leaving Igor and Theodore alone. She resolved to investigate the Yasogami High Culture in order to find a reason why they were here and find a way to escape this madness.

When the auburn haired girl left the Velvet Room, Igor laid out a set of tarot cards on the table and drew one out. "A reversed Temperance..." he mused. "I wonder, who you will meet in this dimension."

* * *

Walking around Yasogami High is like exploring Tartarus but safer.

While walking around the school, Kotone encountered many of its students who seemed only gung-hoed about the Culture Festival than an outsider like her who was walking around the school premises; they did not pay attention to her except they regard her as one of their own. At least she bought some yakisoba for herself and takoyaki for Theodore (she has no clue if Igor can eat or not) with the money she has left.

When she went out in the school grounds, she attempted to leave through the school gates. Without warning, Kotone somehow returned back to where she came, which puzzled her. She did the same thing in climbing up the fence, only to have the same result in the end.

Kotone decided to return to the school premises and take a break at the Food Court. Who knew that walking around the school in a world that is not real could be so tiring? She took a seat, sat down and took a bite of a dango she bought in one of the stalls that sells one.

"So many things to do" Kotone muttered with a sigh, twiddling the stick of the dango she ate. "So much time at the same time…"

She smacks herself in the face. "I have to get a hold of myself," Kotone said, reprimanding to herself. "Even though I am enjoying myself in this Culture Festival, this doesn't feel right."

The auburn haired girl crossed her arms and closed her eyes in an effort to think about the events that transpired before her arrival into a strange world with the residents of the Velvet Room. Was there a sign that was too obvious for Kotone to notice but misunderstood about its meaning?

All this thinking is making her hungry but she ignored the sound of her stomach grumbling. "You seem hungry," a cheerful voice said. "Here, have some takoyaki."

The smell of the savory-ball shaped pancakes reached Kotone's nostrils, making her stomach grumbled. Her eyes opened and noticed that there are two people eyeing her with curiosity, which made her jump.

There was a young man with short, dark brown hair and a dark complexion. He wears the Yasogami High uniform like the students of the school Kotone observed but dons a spiked black collar and a worn out black cape. His aloof, lime green eyes looked upon the auburn haired girl as if she will pounce at him like a hungry lion.

Behind the young man was withdrawn young woman with long, wavy blond hair with white flower shaped hairclips scattered throughout her hair. She too wears the Yasogami High uniform with a yellow cardigan. Her eyes also have the same color as the young man with a small glint of cheerfulness.

"Aren't you going to eat that?" the young man asked, his eyes piercing Kotone's soul.

"Err…" the auburn haired girl tried to find the words to say but she was overwhelmed by the student's words, for they are different from the people she met around the school premises.

_** Who are they? For what reason did they want from Kotone Shiomi? Found out at the next chapter of Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Female MC Edition)!**_

_** *When I played Persona Q, another thought has struck me: why wasn't Igor present in the game? That kept me wondering why Margaret as the one who performs Persona Fusions instead of him. Since this is the Female MC Edition, might as well add him like the one in Persona 3 Portable.**_

_** Note: the prize that Theodore won is an Easter egg of a certain anime. Could you guess what it is?**_


	3. You in Wonderland Part 1

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Female MC Edition)

You in Wonderland Part I

"_Anytime I feel lost, I pull out a map and stare. I stare until I have reminded myself that life is a giant adventure, so much to do, to see."_

_\- Angelina Jolie_

It took only one word for Kotone to respond the collared boy's question. "What?"

"Rei noticed that you're hungry" he responded.

_ Rei?_ Perhaps it was the name of the blond girl who was behind him, Kotone thought to herself. How thoughtful of her in giving the auburn haired girl a food for thought, literally.

But the question still remains in Kotone's mind. "Are you actually talking to me?" she asked with a mixture of thrill and confusion in her voice. Most of the students of Yasogami High talk mechanically, as if they are instructed to talk how exciting their Culture Festival is. She felt relieved that there is someone talking to her for once.

The collared boy looked puzzled. "Of course we are talking to you" he replied matter-of-factly. "The students you see are phantoms; they perform the same actions and the same words before you over and over. We, however, are not phantoms."

Kotone looks around the Food Court Area with an uneasy look on her face. The students around her are like robots; they repeat the same actions and words as if that's their only purpose in Yasogami High. Therefore, if these students are phantoms, as the collared boy stated, then this school and everything around her is not real.

The auburn haired girl shook her head, disregarding the uneasy thoughts out of her head. _This is not the time to think about it, I have to focus on getting everyone out_ she thought. "So, you're Rei, right?" she asked, smiling at the blond girl. "My name's Kotone Shiomi. It's nice to see you."

Before the blond girl responded, she pulled out a donut from her pocket and nibbled it. "I'm Rei" she introduced herself cheerfully. "And this is Zen. It's all thanks to him that he bought a takoyaki for you to eat." Rei indicated to the collared boy named Zen.

"Where did you come from?" Zen asked, getting into business.

"I came from Iwatodai" she mumbled a reply, chewing on the takoyaki.

"Iwa…" Rei tried to pronounce the words.

The auburn haired girl finished her takoyaki. "I-wa-to-dai" she pronounce the words slowly to the blond girl as soon as she was done eating. "That's where I was from before I was summoned here with my friends. Right now, we have to go back."

"Go back?" Rei wondered, her eyes widened by those words, dropping the donut.

Kotone nodded. "Yeah, we have to go back."

"You… can go back from here?" the blond girl faced Zen with a determined look. "I want to go back too Zen."

"Go back where though?" he asked.

"Where…?" Rei said, unsure. "I… don't know. Where should we go back?"

_Go back? _Kotone wondered to herself. "You don't know where you supposed to go back to?"

"We were here when we gained consciousness," Zen explained. "We don't remember anything before that."

"Our memories were taken" the blond girl added.

Kotone thought for a moment. _ Your memories were taken? _She pondered calmly as possible. _Could it be that your memories were somehow stolen? But who could it be and why?_ She studied Rei, who seemed to be anxious in getting out of this world as much as her and, perhaps, wants to know why she and Zen were here in the first place.

The auburn haired stood up from her seat. "Actually, I do know where the exit is" she said, her words manages to brighten Rei up. "It's located in this Fortune Teller's tent in the hallway. The problem is that there are four keyholes that are lock." Kotone did not need to hide the information from the two since she can tell that their intentions, despite their memories were stolen, was to simply get out of this strange place.

"Really?" the blond girl could not believe here ears. She glanced at the collared boy. "Zen, let's leave together, okay? I want to go back too."

"All right, if that's what you wish" Zen responded before facing Kotone. "I have a favor for you to ask. If you are going to leave this place, I ask you to take us with you. We won't be any trouble. I will protect Rei, and I can fight the monsters that we encounter."

Kotone could not believe her ears. "Monsters? You mean Shadows?" she cried incredulously. _Does he mean Shadows? Could it be that there are Shadows in this school, much like Tartarus?!_

"Why do you look so surprise?" the collared boy observed. "Of course there are such creatures here, or Shadows as you prefer calling them, in this school. We traverse the labyrinths and encountered such creatures there."

Rei meekly nodded in agreement. The auburn haired girl understood behind the meaning of Zen's words. No wonder she did not encounter any Shadows here; it would cause senseless chaos with an added strangeness in the area, given that phantoms roam the school without the care of the world. Then again, they would not mind the destruction since they very mechanical in their actions.

Kotone had a thought. Like the Dark Hour, Shadows roam around the tower of Tartarus and the streets of Tatsumi Port Island to create the Apathy Syndrome among it citizens. There has to be a reason why Shadows run amok in the "labyrinths" Zen mentioned. Could it be that they are protecting something? Or are they guarding the keys of the exit that Kotone and the others desperately want to leave?

She puts her hand on her Evoker, a gun-shaped device that lets her summon her Persona. "Please take me to the labyrinth" Kotone requested with a burning resolve in her eyes.

"But would a gun suffice?" he pointed out, eyeing on the gun. "This crossbow can take the energy of nearby objects and can shoot it at a distance. Would you like to try?"

"No. Thank you for the thought though" Kotone said politely. "I'm better with something I'm familiar with than something I don't usually use." Although she only has her Evoker holstered by her side, Kotone knew that it was still not enough to battle the Shadows that roam the labyrinths. After all, evoking Personas continuously can drain one's strength and stamina. Therefore, it is vital to conserve energy and use muscle bound moves and melee attacks. But using a weapon that she isn't used to, that's another story to tell.

The auburn haired girl looked around to see if she could find a weapon since she left her naginata at her room at the dorm back in Iwatodai. She finally noticed a mop nearby and broke the clamp part of it, showing a sharp, metallic tip at the end of the mop, thus creating an improvise spear. She then did some practice swings and thrusts with it before stopping. "Will this do?"

Rei clapped her hands. "Wow Kotone-chan, that's so cool!" she remarked.

The auburn haired girl liked the new nickname given from Rei. "Thanks" she said. "What do you think?"

Zen could not agree more.

* * *

The entrance of the labyrinth, by the time the three reached there, was a classroom display showing a theme from a storybook called Alice's Adventure in Wonderland. The display name, or rather, the name of the labyrinth, is called You in Wonderland coincidentally. With their weapons ready, they proceeded to enter the labyrinth.

Inside the labyrinth seemed to be more straightforward than the entrance. Truth be told, the labyrinth has taken the theme of Alice in Wonderland to a next level. One could describe it as "trippy" since the landscape is distorted.

"Careful" Zen warned. "They're coming."

After months in Tartarus doing dungeon excursion and Shadow slaying, Kotone has developed an ability to sense its ominous presence nearby. She gripped on the improvised spear, waiting for the Shadows to arrive.

On cue, Cowardly Mayas and Lying Hableries aggressively appeared. The three clashed the Shadows, using every amount of strength and skill in defeating them. Zen, using his dual crossbow, shot multiple Shadows with a barrage of arrows and slashing them away while protecting Rei who was instinctively behind him and avoiding the Shadows.

Kotone, on the other hand, seemed to have a different approach on taking the offensive against the shadows. With every opportunity strikes when a Shadow approaches her, she would pierce them through with a broken mop and bash them on the head.

Although the Shadows decreased, Kotone decided to give them a coup-de-grace that they would never forget. She pulled out her evoker and aimed it on her head, her finger ready to pull the trigger. This caught Zen by surprise.

"What are you doing?!" he exclaimed. "Don't tell me you're going to-"

The collared boy thought that the auburn haired girl was going to shoot herself. His words were cut short by the sound of glass shattering from Kotone's Evoker, releasing a pale blue fog. From the pale blue fog came the Fool Arcana Orpheus, sporting a long, brown hair and wielding a giant, heat-shaped lyre. With a strum of his lyre, the Master of Strings burns his enemies one by one, incinerating them.

After the Shadows were defeated, Orpheus disappears from the battle and returned to Kotone's heart. Zen was speechless by how strong the auburn haired girl was, especially when she summoned her Persona. Rei, however, seemed to be undeterred by her unorthodox method.

"That was amazing Kotone-chan!" Rei declared. "The way you defeat them all is like watching someone cooking yakisoba!" She took out yakisoba bread and ate it. "It's so delicious!"

"But we still have to be careful" Zen said. "Even though we have defeated them, they are are bound to return sooner or later." He looked at Kotone. "I have to commend it to you. I wasn't expecting you to use your gun to summon some 'demon' to fight the Shadows. I thought that you're going to use your gun to shoot yourself."

Kotone nodded. The Evoker was shaped into a gun for a reason; it represents the knowledge of mortality and accepting death. It also serves as a reminder that members of SEES, such as herself, were aware that they could die fighting from Shadows. In order to summon Personas, the user must be provoked with sense of terror, therefore, inducing such extreme stress.

"Here, I want you to have this" the collared boy took out a notebook from his cloak and gave it to her.

"What am I going to do with a notebook?" Kotone asked, inspecting the notebook with a puzzled look.

"That notebook used to be a list of Rei's favourite food stalls" he replied. "Since you have extraordinary skills, you could lead the way and map the labyrinth so that we don't get lost. I trust that you know how to draw one, yes?"

"Yeah, I know how."

They continued to venture through the labyrinth, fighting Shadows along the way and taking the spoils of war in the process. However, the three encountered a special type of Shadow, a Card Soldier, patrolling the dungeon in a fixed pattern.

"Fysis Oiken Eidolon" Zen mentioned quietly. "These Shadows are more powerful than the ones we fought earlier. It's best to avoid them as much as possible, unless you plan to fight them."

"I don't think I'm confident in fighting them right now," the auburn haired girl said in agreement said. "Fysis Oiken Eidolon doesn't seem to roll off the tongue, does it?"

"I keep telling Zen that it's sound so confusing" Rei added. "I told him that it's called F.O.E."

"Well that's something I can agree on."

"If that's what you wish, I'll start calling F.O.E from now on whenever we meet them."

They were about to move to down the stairs when they heard someone sobbing. "Big bro…?" it whimpered in a scared voice. "Where are you…?"

_**Is there someone stuck in You in Wonderland and who could it be? Find out at the next chapter of Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Female MC Edition)!**_

_** *I would like to thank XrosaryX and a special guest named RJ for taking the time to review the story. Their review is so insightful that I want to integrate it for the next chapter.**_

_**I've always wondered why Zen gave me a notebook to map the labyrinths we passed by. Sure, it makes sense by game standards, but I felt like he was giving me a task he was supposed to do. Since he remembers Rei's favourite food stalls, why couldn't he map the labyrinth himself? Lazy bastard.**_

_** Regarding my progress in the game itself, I am at the final boss fighting Clockwork God in the P4 Route (hate those regenerating shield spider legs) and in the 3**__**rd**__** floor at the Evil Spirit Club in the P3 Route (damn those Bribing Fuzz, Rainy Pot, Phantom Mage and Phantom Master for causing Elizabeth's healing to be skyrocketing expensive).**_


	4. You in Wonderland Part 2

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Female MC Edition)

You in Wonderland Part 2

_Trust but verify_

_-Ronald Reagan_

"Big Bro…?" the sound of the little girl continued to emanate anxiously in the labyrinth. "Dad, where are you?"

Rei heard the voice coming from the piano door. "Is somebody there…?"

She was about to head there when Zen blocked her path. "We do not know if it's one of them," he said warily.

"I think it's fine" Kotone said reassuringly. "I don't think we'll run into Shadows this time."

She looked at the piano doors, wondering what lies ahead beyond it. _Could there be someone like Rei and Zen who is stuck in this strange world?_ The auburn haired girl wondered to herself. Calmly, Kotone walked towards the door, griping on the improvised spear should the Shadows come in for a surprise attack.

It turns out; beyond those doors was a little girl of six years of age. She wears a white turtleneck under a sleeveless dress in the shades of pink and red. Her brown hair is tied into twin pigtails and her brown eyes were filled with confusion and anxiety. As soon as the little girl saw Kotone, Zen and Rei walk in, she instantly became wary of them. "W-who are you?" she stammered, taking a step back away from them.

Before they could explain, a swarm of fish-like Shadows called Calm Pesce came in without warning. By the time they arrived, the little girl froze out of fear by the mere sight of these creatures.

One of them was about to hit the little girl with a strong bash attack when Kotone summoned Orpheus from the depths of her heart and blocked it. The Master of Strings then used his heart shaped lyre to knock back the Calm Pesce away from the little girl.

"Hey, hey" Kotone called as she quickly approached the little girl. "Are you alright?"

The little girl nodded meekly. The auburn sighed with relief. "That's good" Kotone said. "I thought you're hurt." She pierced a nearby Shadow that was about to bash them in the nick of time. "I know that it's not the time to talk but could you get to a safer distance?"

The little girl, knowing that there are a swarm of Calm Pesce in the area, decided to obey Kotone and ran for a safe distance. Who are these people, the little girl thought to herself. Although she does not know who these strangers are or where they come from (she recognized the uniforms Zen and Rei were wearing are from Yasogami High) they were protecting her from the Shadows. The little girl felt grateful.

She then saw the collared boy shooting a barrage of electrical arrows at the Calm Pesces with deadly accuracy that, one by one, and their bodies disappearing into a black mist while the blond girl was cheering on. Tired though they may be, Kotone, Zen and Rei managed to repel a swarm of them with their strength and spirit just to protect the little girl.

The last of the Calm Pesce came in by all of the sudden. The moment the Shadow appeared, it tried to attack the two before they knew it. Luckily, a timely shot from Zen's crossbow manages to pierce through the Calm Pesce's body before disappearing into a black-shadowy mist. Curiously, as soon as they were destroyed, they dropped several items and blank cards. Kotone took them, knowing that it will be useful.

"We beat them all" Rei announced.

"Umm…" the little girl piped in shyly in front of them. "W-who're you? Where are we?"

The blond girl apparently noticed the little girl's presence. "Whoa!" Rei cried. "How did you get here? What's your name? Are you hungry?"

Her questions bombarded the little girl that she falter backed. "Rei, I think you're scaring her," Kotone said. "Let's first take it slow…" The auburn girl went towards the little girl and kneelt down in front of her so that she can see. "Hello" Kotone greeted, giving a warm smile. "My name is Kotone Shiome and these are my friends Rei and Zen." She indicated the two, for Rei was waving at them and Zen brooding on his surroundings, as if he is sensing the Shadows in the vicinity. "What's your name?"

The little girl thought for a moment. Even though they are strangers, she felt a sense of gratitude and trust around them, especially the auburn haired girl. "My name is Nanako Dojima," she replied hesitantly.

"It's nice to meet you Nanako" Kotone said.

"Hi Nana-chan!" Rei greeted excitedly. "Want some takoyaki? I bet you're hungry and scared while you were alone in the labyrinth filled with scary monsters."

She offered Nanako a batch of takoyaki, to which the little girl gladly took it and ate it. The delicious batter filled with minced octopus and tempura scraps was enough for Nanako to be comfortable with Rei and Kotone.

All those comforting feelings were then crushed when Zen's appeared in front of her, his lime green eyes looking down on the little girl. "Where did you come from?" he coerced. "How were you able to enter in this labyrinth."

His line of questioning, unlike Rei earlier, was demanding and forceful that it scared the little girl and ran behind the blond girl, clinging on her yellow cardigan for protection. "Zen! You're scaring Nana-chan" she scolded.

Zen was taken by surprise. "Rei…" he muttered.

"Try to soften your voice next time" Kotone reminded. "If you're going to talk to Nanako, say it with a smile. It's not that hard."

The collared shifted uncomfortably. Zen is not particularly used of smiling since he always thinking and brooding on his surroundings. "Don't dwell on it too much" she added reassuringly to him. "I know it's hard but try not to terrify Nanako. After all, she was lost and scared when she was wandering in the labyrinth."

Zen thought for a while. "Yes, that may be true" he said in agreement. "It's true that wandering in the labyrinth can be overwhelming and Shadows roam around it." He turned to the little girl with a solemn and apologetic expression. "I apologized for sounding forceful."

"It's alright," Nanako said, sensing the sincerity behind the collared boy's voice. "I know that you didn't mean to…"

"Now that you mentioned it," the auburn noted. "Nanako, how did you end up here in Yasogami High?"

"Huh?" the little girl muttered quizzically, as if the question was obvious. "I was visiting my Big Bro there with my dad for the Culture Festival."

"Big Bro?"

Nanako nodded happily. "He may be my cousin but he acts like an older brother I never had!"

She continued to ramble on excitedly how Big Bro is such a great person, from cooking to meeting many friends all over the town of Inaba. This Big Bro, Nanako mentioned, somehow reminded Kotone of herself. She has a lot of talent, which includes cooking (considering that it was one of her best specialties), and has established many bonds with the people she met in Iwatodai.

"I went to this display called Mon Amour where the boys dress up as girls. Dad was surprised about it" Nanako giggled by the thought of it but her face soon darkened. "But when I entered, everything became strange and Dad wasn't with me. Then I saw the monsters and they chased after me."

_And we manage to meet you. _"So that's how you entered the labyrinth," Kotone concluded after listening to her story. "By any chance, did you hear a bell?"

"Bell?" the little girl wondered. "Well, I heard bells before Big Bro left the house. I thought it was the school bell. It sounds More like church bells."

_She did hear it_ the auburn haired thought. She looked around her surroundings, checking that the Shadows are in the vicinity. It is too dangerous that Nanako would be in a place like this. Judging from her testimony and the way she act, the little girl does not have the experience in fighting the Shadows.

"It's too dangerous for someone like her to be in the labyrinth" Zen said as if he is reading Kotone's mind. "I don't sense any power in her like you. We should bring her somewhere safe."

Kotone nodded in agreement. "I think I know good place for her to stay," she suggested. "But try not to hold your surprise though. I don't think he'll appreciate the words you'll say as soon as you enter."

* * *

The Velvet Room, a place where dreams and reality, mind and matter coexist…

"This is odd..." Zen muttered, perplexed by the Room's appearance. "I do not recall a room existing in this world."

"This Room does not exist?" Kotone wondered, hearing the collared boy's words. "How come?"

The collared boy glanced at the three, adamantine doors. "I don't know" he replied. "What I do know is that those doors leads to your home world..."

"Welcome to the Velvet Room" Igor welcomed.

"Ah, Miss Kotone" Theodore greeted. "It seems you brought guests."

The auburn nodded with a grin. "Indeed I have" she said, imitating the bellboy's tone playfully and proceeded to introduce the three to the bellboy.

"Whoa!" Rei cried in astonishment as she looks at her surroundings. "What is this place? Oh, and who's that guy with the long nose?"

"He looks so scary…" Nanako added, hiding behind Kotone.

The auburn haired girl gulped and the bellboy were taken aback. Never in her life that she ever those heard those words directly to the Proprietor of the Velvet Room, especially the word "scary". When she met Igor and Theodore for the first time, the first thing she saw was not the ever ascending elevator nor the professional-looking bellboy but the person right in front of her, the strange old man with a pointy ears, a long nose, and bulging, bloodshot eyes. Kotone never mentioned those kinds of factors in front of Igor; she was afraid that he would be offended and taken out of the contract for such offense.

Surprisingly, however, Igor does not seem to be offended by the comments of the two girls. Instead, he gave a welcoming, business-like smile like he usual does. "It's seems that we have three new visitors" he noted and gave the same introduction to the three.

"On the subject at hand" Igor said, laying down a twenty tarot cards on the table. He turned over one of the cards, showing a tower in front of Kotone. "My, this is unusual."

"What do you mean?" Kotone asked.

"There's nothing wrong with the Tower in and within itself" the Long Nosed explained. "I am more puzzled that it was not the Fool. Normally, you should wield multiple Personas, for the Fool holds endless possibilities."

"Perhaps it's the influence of this place" Theodore mused, much to the agreement of the latter. "Her usual powers must have changed somehow…"

"To think this would happen. 'Endless possibilities' indeed…" the Long Nosed chuckled. "Despite not able to wield multiple Personas, it seems that you can take on another Persona. This other one can be summon at will. You can change between them whenever you like. Consider it as a supplement."

_So that means that Orpheus is my "main" while my changeable Persona is my "sub" _the auburn haired girl thought. _ Amazing, it's like a video game..._

"But what caused such irregular behavior…?" Theodore wondered. "It's as if the power of the Fool has been strengthened."

"One would conclude that there is someone with the wild card ability" Igor glanced at the three doors.

"Can Zen and I summon Personas too?" Rei asked.

Igor shook his head. "It is impossible" he replied sadly. "Neither of you had Personas to begin with unfortunately. This goes for the little one." He indicated to Nanako.

"M-me?!" Nanako muttered incredulously.

"It is perhaps that you are too young, too innocent to wield a Persona my dear," he said. "I am truly sorry…"

"But why can't Zen and Rei wield Personas?" Kotone argued. "They fought Shadows."

"It is because they are closely tied to this place. Just imagined that it like a floating island, adrift in the collective unconsciousness; it is irregular and difficult to distinguish between normality and peculiarity. Normally, it is no place for a living human being."

_Perhaps they adapted?_ she thought. _It could be possible, but..._

"On to the second topic" Igor took out a blank card, similar to the ones Kotone is holding. "These are blanks. As the name suggests, they are blank because they have not yet been guided to any specific destiny. If that is what fate has decreed, then these cards will fulfill their own roles. However, I find it puzzling that you can only wield Orpheus and not countless Personas in your disposal. It's seems as though that this place have been affecting your usual powers. You cannot shift Orpheus, for now at least until this matter is solve."

Now that he mentioned it, Kotone has not able to summon other Personas which she usually does. "But what am I going to do with these?" she asked, indicating the blanks.

"Although you cannot shift Orpheus, the power of the wild card still exists in you" the Proprietor replied. "Think of the blanks as a secondary Persona and it can be used freely, acting as an auxiliary role where it does not show its true strength. Imagine Orpheus as your main and the changeable one as your sub; it can be assumed as both at the same time. Such infinite possibilities!"

The auburn haired girl felt a slight headache; so much has taken in a short time. "Then I will count you to fuse my Personas then..."

Igor shook his head. "I am regret to inform you that I am unable perform Persona Fusions" he said, much to Kotone's surprise. "My duties as the Proprietor of the Velvet Room have been forcefully altered ever since we were transported into this world. It is as if this world is played by its own rules." He turned to Theodore. "My assistant, however, has the knowledge of fusing Personas, though it will take time for him to get used to it. I do not know how Theodore's ability works in this world. That is all I can tell you."

Theodore took one of the blank cards and raised it up. It then magically changed into Personas before it disappeared. "So, what do you think?" the bellboy asked proudly.

Nanako's eyes widen. "That's so cool!"

His golden eyes sparked by the remark. "Thank you, Miss Nanako, for the compliment" Theodore said. "My talents, though not in par with my Master, are sufficient for Persona Fusions."

Zen, while standing in the sidelines, was silently observing the the people inside the Velvet Room, especially Igor. Though he had an unreadable expression,he eyed the Proprietor with a cold gaze.

Igor, noticing the collared boy's gaze, pretended to take at least notice."Theodore" he spoke. "See to our guest that they have weapons to attack, armor to protect themselves and items that could be useful in their search. We must lend them our assistance traversing the labyrinth."

The bellboy bowed to his Master, complying his orders. "Please come this way" Theodore instructed the three out of the Velvet Room.

Before they left, Zen looked at Igor for the last time. Seeing the cards set before him, he drew one out, revealing a reversed Six of Swords.

"It seems as though you'll find something important along the way" he mused.

* * *

Kotone and her companions followed the bellboy to the Art Room. On the display, it says "a hands-on class on making small toys" here. Here, there are several tools and weapons lying on the table. The auburn haired girl took one of the weapons and inspected. "What brings us to the Handicraft Workshop?" Kotone asked. "And what are we going to use with these toy swords?"

"I've glad you ask!" Theodore said confidently. He was about to explain when Zen instantly pulled out a crossbow and aimed it at the bellboy.

"Get on with it" he said impatiently.

"Zen!" Rei scolded.

The bellboy gulped. "V-very well" he mumbled. "As Master requested, I will provide equipment and expendables for you journey to the labyrinth." Theodore gestures to the auburn haired girl. "Miss Kotone, could I lend your spear and other materials you have obtain from defeating the Shadows for a moment. You already came across many materials when you defeated them in the labyrinth."

Puzzled, Kotone gave what Theodore asked. Skillfully, he went to work, hammering the materials onto the spear, imbuing it with enough power to fight the Shadows. He then built several items made from the same materials. "Whew…" the bellboy wiped off the seat from his brow, apparently done from his work. "What do you think? I think it came out quite well." He gave a newly built naginata and the items to Kotone. "As you can see, though I am still in the midst of learning the process, I do have some knowledge of it, for I will create your equipment and sundries" Theodore explained. "But I am expected to be compensated for my efforts. Nothing comes free."

Kotone groaned. She understood how contracts work after all. "Your so stingy" she grumbled.

The bellboy was startled. "I apologize but that is how contracts work…" he argued meekly. "Also, you should leave your belongings here while you venture out in the labyrinth. One should not carry much unnecessary baggage, for it is too troublesome to lug it. Don't worry about it though; you can place it at the shelf over there. It's free of charge." He stood up firmly, his hand turning into a fist and placing on his chest. "From now on, I am the master of this fine establishment. I will do my duty well and I shall try not to embarrass myself."

As he was done speaking, Nanako came forward, holding what appears to be a strawberry patterned apron. "T-Theo-oniichan..." she mumbled to the bellboy.

Theodore turned to the little girl. "You must be Miss Nanako, yes?" he said. "How am I be of service?"

"Well..." Nanako murmered. "When I saw you working, your clothes were getting dirty. I found this apron here and I wanted you to wear it." She then gave the apron to Theodore.

The collarboy took the apron gratefully. "Thank you Miss Nanako" he remarked. "How thoughtful of you for providing the means to keep my clothes clean for me. I will try my best not to disgrace your name and my master, and..."

As he unfolded the apron, Theodore noticed that the design was simply silly and girly for him. "Surely you don't mean mean this...?"

Nanako looked disheartened by the disappointment in his voice. "You don't like it?"

"I think he likes it" Kotone said reassuringly to Nanako, eyeing the bellboy. "Theo-oniichan would be mean if he didn't accept it after all."

"Oh yes, I like it very much" Theodore said, taking the hint. "I'll wear it to prove that it suits me very much." He began to wear the apron so that he won't hurt the little girl's feelings. "Is this... the correct way to wear it...?"

"Zen, Zen!" Rei called out excitedly. "Look! Strawberries! They're like berries full of straws! Bears like to from them with straws!"

"Really?" Nanako sounded credulous, believing the blond girl's words.

_I don' t think that's the real meaning of strawberry _Kotone thought, deciding to play along.

"But how about a place to replenish ourselves?" Zen asked.

"The Nurse's Office sounds like a good idea" Nanako suggested. "Since I can't fight the monsters in the labyrinth, I'll be the one in charge there and I know where the clinic is. The teacher taught us about first aids in school."

"Nanako…" Kotone muttered. "Is it alright if we leave you alone there?"

The little girl nodded firmly. "I want to be someone who can rely on instead of doing nothing," she said. "Besides, I am not alone anymore. I have Rei-oneechan, Zen-oniichan, Theo-oniichan, the Long Nose and you Big Sis!"

The auburn haired girl scratched her head in embarrassment, apparently flattered by Nanako's words. "Big Sis?"

"Yeah!" Nanako agreed. "You see, you remind me of Big Bro. He's always there to help other people like you. Also, I know that we will eventually get out."

The little girl's hopeful words inspired Kotone so much that she couldn't help but smile. "That's really nice and thoughtful of you Nanako" she said, patting her head appreciatively. "Alright, I will leave the job for you there."

"Right!"

"Why don't we head to the donut shop?" Rei suggested. "All this things are making me hungry."

"Can I come with you?" Nanako asked. "I'm hungry too."

"Can I accompany you as well?" Theodore added. "It seems that I agree with Miss Nanako. The work I put on making the weapons and expendables is making me feel famish for donuts as well."

On cue, the auburn haired girl's stomach grumbled. "Well, that's true" she said. "After that, we're going back to the labyrinth!"

_***As promised, I integrated one of my reviewer's insightful suggestion in this chapter. I like how it made sense if I somehow connect Igor to the storyline.**_

_**A thought has struck me when I added Nanako to the story. In the game, she is a DLC navigator, which means she can talk. I don't like Nanako being a navigator since it requires a Persona with navigation skills (there are times that I suspect that Nanako's Persona is a navigator type). Instead, I put her in the Nurse's Office since it suits her.**_


	5. You in Wonderland Part 3

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Female MC Edition)

You in Wonderland Part 3

_Though force can protect in emergency, only justice, fairness, consideration and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn of eternal peace._

_-Dwight D. Eisenhower_

After eating with Nanako and Theodore at the Food Court, the three began their journey to You in Wonderland, ever prepared than before.

Upon entering the labyrinth, the auburn haired girl once again looked around her surroundings if there are any nearby Shadows in the vicinity. Normally, Shadows wander around in the halls of Tartarus, looking for victims to harm. But, in this world, the Shadows would take them by surprise instead. Most of the time, Kotone had to be prepared for incoming surprise attacks from them. Zen and Rei, on the other hand, seemed to grow accustomed from the ambush.

_The scenery keeps on changing every time we reach a new floor _Kotone observed, noticing that each level they been to in You in Wonderland is changing, from a melting candy wonderland, to a picnic-like area with a sunset background and finally a dungeon.

Whenever she and members of SEES traverse Tartarus or places in Port Island, they always rely a Persona-user with a navigation ability, lest they get lost in the tower or wander aimlessly in the streets looking for Arcana Shadows each month. Without that particular Persona-user, it will be hard for Kotone, Zen and Rei to guide to themselves in the labyrinth. Luckily, the collared boy provided her a notebook to keep track on the journey.

Kotone's stomach grumbled on cue. There is nothing worse than being hungry again after eating at the donut shop for a while. "Why don't we take a short break?" she suggested.

Zen nodded. "Agreed. I don't sense any of the Shadows in the vicinity."

They decided to stay at one area to rest. While they were resting, Kotone noticed that, for some reason, Rei has been hesitating ever since they went back to the labyrinth. "Rei, there's no need to be scared" Zen reminded reassuringly. The latter mumbled nervously in return.

"Don't worry" Kotone added. "If we find a way to get out, we will do it together."

"Koto-chan…" the blond girl muttered as soon as she heard her words. "I've… always been drawn to this place, but I was too scared to explore it." Her eyes shined in admiration later on. "But with everyone helping me, I'm okay coming in. It's a lot of fun actually!" Rei bowed in gratitude. "Thank you! Very much!"

Strangely, however, Zen turned away in the distance for some reason. "Zen, what's wrong?" Rei asked in a worried tone, apparently noticing Zen's demeanor. "Does it hurt somewhere?"

"No…" the collared boy replied quietly. "I don't really understand." He faced the blond girl reluctantly. "Rei… will you… stay by my side?"

Rei nodded enthusiastically. "Of course!"

The auburn haired girl felt like a third wheel between them. She may not know the history of the two but Kotone sense that she was intruding in their conversation. _It feels like they're in their own world_ she thought to herself. _I hope we can get Rei and Zen out of here quickly._

"With that out of my mind, I'm so hungry that I could eat this tart!" Much to the auburn haired girl's surprise, Rei took what it seems to be a tart from a wall with all her strength when it was, in reality, a piece of backdrop. Didn't they eat donuts a while ago? Kotone thought to herself. She never knew that the blond girl had such an appetite.

She munched the tart with gusto and savored the taste for a moment. "This tart is sweet, with a mysterious texture to it…" Rei declared before spitting out the content with disgust.

"It's paper," Zen noted. "No matter how realistic it looks, this is the world of a children's story. Everything here is inorganic."

Kotone giggled in amusement as she saw the blond girl spat out the disgusting content of the so-called "tart" and discarded it. Afterwards, she took a yakisoba bread and ate it, immediately forgetting the aweful taste.

While the three were having a good time, they a pink rabbit suddenly appearing in front of them. Before they could react on what they saw, Rei felt the urge to follow the small animal.

"It's calling me…" the blond girl muttered.

Zen glanced at her. "Rei?"

She walked towards the pink rabbit as it hops away from the three. Rei then practically stalked the little animal, much to Zen and Kotone's astonishment. "Rei!" they called but the blond girl ignored their heed and followed it. The two tried to chase after her but numerous Shadows instantly appeared in front of them.

"We have to get Rei!" Zen, in a fit of panic, cried.

Never had Kotone saw the collared boy's collected façade broke when Rei left all of the sudden. "We will Zen, we will" she promised, attempting to calm him. "If we want to get Rei, I want you to be calm about this. We will never catch her if you panic right now."

As soon as the auburn haired girl finished, Zen promptly obeyed and calmed himself down. "I am now calm…" he said, his steel, green eyes glaring at his enemies. "All that stands in our way are the Shadows in front of us. We have to take them down as quickly as possible."

* * *

Wave after wave, Kotone and Zen took down the Shadows quickly and tried to find Rei in the process. Desperately, the collared boy furiously eliminated the Shadows one by one in order to track her down. Luckily for them, they found hints on where the blond girl had past by in the midst of fighting the negative emotions of humanity, such as a trail of takoyaki sauce and picture frames bearing a rabbit shape hole.

They tracked down the hints until they reached what it seems to be the final floor of the labyrinth. Although the final floor holds the same characteristics as the previous ones, the final level holds an ominous feeling unlike the preceding levels had.

"I can feel Rei's presence beyond those gates" Zen indicated the iron gates in front of them. "However, I sense a far stronger enemy than the Shadows we previously fought." Kotone gripped on her naginata as she and the collared boy prepared themselves to face their toughest opponent yet.

The iron gates open, revealing what appears to be a large, spacious court. Instead, they saw Rei lying on the floor, unconscious. Zen ran towards the unconscious blond girl and check if she is all right. The collared boy sighed in relief as he knew that she was fine.

However, Rei wasn't the only occupant in the court. There, Kotone saw a giant, gaudy figure resembling the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, hugging a treasure box protectively. Apparently, it noticed their presence and haughtily turned towards them with a fan on its hand. Could this be the boss of this labyrinth? Kotone thought.

"Danger…! I sense danger!" it cried. "Oh no you don't…! I won't let you have this!"

_It speaks?! _Kotone thought, surprised that the Queen of Hearts can talk. _More importantly, what does it mean 'won't let you have this'?_ She looked at the treasure box where it was hugging a moment ago.

"What have you done to Rei?" Zen, holding the blond girl's unconscious body, demanded at the Queen.

It fanned itself haughtily, as if the question was wasting its time. "I've done no such thing to that pitiful lowlife!" the Queen replied coyly. "The girl simply came here in her own volition and fell to the floor like dirt. The pitiful lowlife kept mumbling about leaving this place like some chatterbox."

The collared boy growled in response and aimed his crossbow at the Queen of Hearts but Kotone prevented him from doing so. "We will definitely leave this place!" The auburn answered bravely, unafraid of its presence.

"That's right" Zen added as he protected the unconscious Rei behind him. "We will leave this place. That's what we've decided."

The Queen of Hearts laughed mockingly at the three. "How hilarious, how interesting…!" it said condescendingly. "You're going to let us out, is it? Oh, how kind of you!"

_Let "us" out?_ "There's no way we're letting your kind out!" Kotone retorted, pointing her naginata at it. "After we finish you, we will see what's inside of that box!"

"I won't let you have it!" the Queen of Hearts exclaimed as soon as it realised that Kotone was indicating to the box threateningly. It raised its hands as if it was signal. "Attend to me my minions. Deploy the royal straight flush!" As soon as the Queen commanded, an army of mini Card Soldiers emerged from the floor, their weapons ready to destroy the three.

All at once, the mini Card Soldiers attack Kotone, Zen and Rei. Since the three are used in fighting Shadows, as well as the mini Card Soldiers were weak to virtually everything, they fought them with relative ease. Kotone summoned and commanded one of her Personas, Orobas of the Magician Arcana and a Prince of Hell, to burn her enemies to crisp while Zen shot a barrage of special bullets at them as he protected Rei.

Despite all their best efforts in staving them off, it seems that the mini Card Soldiers keep coming wave after wave after wave. Their strength and energy are slowly being drain upon the arrival of more enemy reinforcements to a point that they started to feel tired. In addition, the mini Card Soldiers will not allow them to take a breather.

Kotone's body started to feel heavy and her breathing was erratic as she fought them continuously without a moment's rest. "This isn't looking good…" she grumbled. "We'll never reach the Queen this way."

Zen, too, is out of breath. "Kotone, take Rei with you and retreat" he ordered, gripping on his crossbows. "I'll… handle this…"

"But you're tired…" the auburn haired girl protested. "You're worn out as me too!"

Kotone looked around her surroundings, seeing that the mini Card soldiers are encircling them and blocking their only means of escape. If they do not retreat for now and pull themselves together, they're done for.

When all hope seemed to dwindled between Zen's eyes, the mini Card Soldiers came in for the kill. In one last-ditch move, Kotone summoned Orobas to protect the collared boy and the unconcious blond girl from being hit. The anthromorphic prince of Hell slashed multiple enemies swiftly before disappearing in the depths of the auburn haired girl's heart. "I may be trapped in this carousel of life and forced to find a way to escape," she muttered. "But if you harm my friends you have to pass me first!"

When Zen heard what she said, he couldn't help but grin in acknowledgement. "Well said…" he said, arming himself. "I will not fall from the likes of you. We will get out, not just for Rei's sake but everyone else too!"

"Yo!" a mysterious voice called. "Sorry for the wait!"

"You should rest" another added. "We'll take them on!"

This caught Kotone by surprise. "W-who's there?!"

She turned and saw several mini Card Soldiers disappear in a blink of an eye, only to reveal several silhouettes behind the ray of light. The first ten were aiming their guns on their heads; much similar to a way Kotone summons her Persona. The second group, consisting of eight of them, was posing in a strange manner that the auburn haired girl reminded her of an odd TV show she watched.

Two people from those group emerged from the light. From their appearance, they looked like the same age as Kotone, but their similarities differ: the first one wore the standard Gekkoukan High uniform for male students with a red SEES armband and an MP3 hanging around his neck, having dark blue hair and blue eyes. The second one, being taller than the latter, wore the Yasogami High uniform that the auburn often sees outside the labyrinth, having grey hair and grey auburn haired girl was surprised by their appearance that she was speechless.

"We'll talk later" the composed boy said. "Right now, we've come to help."

"Leave the rest to us" the boy with earphones added.

One of the silhouettes raised her fist in action. "All right, let's do this!"

"Now, everyone charge!"

_***Finally! It is finish! The time where the heroes of Persona 3 and Persona 4 meet the heroine of Persona 3 Portable is finally here! My dear readers, you have no idea how long it took me to think of a way to put them together without copying too much from the game.**_

_**Although I put some parts of the dialogue from the game itself (such as the last two ones), everything here in this chapter is either original from yours truly or added to make things interesting. **_

_**If you enjoy the story, a simple review and comment, plus a favorite, with do. I really appreciate the readers who read my story and gave me such wonderful reviews that I couldn't help but put them here. After all, everyone shares his or her ideas with one another, as long as the idea is credited and recognized.**_


	6. You in Wonderland Finale

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (Female MC Edition)

You in Wonderland Finale

_**Author's note: writing random quotes related to the theme of the chapter is stupid**_

Watching the cherry blossoms gone by the wind and hearing the faint sounds of a nearby school bell just outside of her hospital window was blond girl wearing a green hospital gown. Lying on a hospital bed and staring the ceiling above her, she sighs dejectedly; it seems she will be stuck here for a while.

Today was supposed to be the blond girl's first day of attending school. She dreamed day and night of meeting her teachers, making friends and even eating cafeteria food. She wanted to see that lies beyond her room.

On her arms, the blond girl held her stuffed rabbit tightly across her chest. "Will I ever leave this place?" she silently wondered to herself without a hint of emotion.

* * *

Kotone never felt so relieved and grateful by the timely arrival of other Persona-users in the scene. This was the second time she felt such a feeling since her trip from Yasoinaba.

Except for the boy with headphones, she instantly recognized the faces of friends and senpais who are either wearing the Gekkoukan High uniforms or the red SEES armbands. The others, the ones donning the Yasogami High, however, she did not know. Nevertheless, Kotone wanted to greet, thank and get to know them as soon as possible but battling the boss of the labyrinth that resembles a major villain of a children's storybook would take a while.

Now that they recovered their strength, Zen and the auburn haired girl fought the Royal Flush alongside with the other Persona-users. Thanks to their combined might, they managed to corner the Queen of Hearts to a standstill while the others fend off the remaining Card Soldiers. However, despite their best efforts in cornering the Queen, the Royal Flush, with their remaining strength they got left, went on a counteroffensive and started attacking the Persona-users.

The uproar of the battle had caused Rei to regain consciousness. Like a child lost in a mall, the blond girl attempted to find Zen and Kotone in the midst of the battlefield until she found them fending off the mini Card Soldiers.

"Zen! Koto-chan!" she called to them. Blindly running towards them without knowing the obvious dangers awaits ahead, one of the mini Card Soldiers jump in front of her, taking her by surprise. It raised its sword to strike the blond girl when a timely arrow disarmed the mini Card Soldiers's weapon and blade sliced its body in half before dissipating into a black mist.

"Rei, are you alright?" Zen demanded as he quickly approached the bewildered blond girl and grips on her shoulders, a combination of anxiety and relief flooded his usual calm demeanor.

"I-I'm fine Zen, I'm fine!" Rei insisted as the collared boy shook her shoulders rather vigorously.

Kotone, noticing Zen shaking the poor girl like a rag doll, gently removed his hands away from her shoulders. Confused at first by her action, the collared boy understood what she meant and calmly took a deep breath. without looking, he shot a preemptive arrow at an attacking Card Soldier with such accuracy that the enemy disappeared before it even noticed it. "How do feel now?" the auburn haired girl asked.

Zen's eyes are now fixed on the enemies in front of him. "I am now calm"he replied. "What is our plan of attack? It seems that we have the advantages in terms of numbers, powers and strength."

"We simply take down the Queen" the composed boy popped in before Kotone responded to Zen's inquiry.

Rei jumped by his sudden surprise and scuttled behind the collared boy while the latter quickly draws out his crossbow and aims it at the face of the composed boy. Surprisingly, the composed boy did not flinched at the sight of Zen's weapon in front of him. "Who are you?" Zen demanded.

Kotone cuts in between them. "We will know their names later" she told the collared boy. "The guy's right; our top priority right now is to take down the Queen of Hearts with him."

Zen glared at the composed boy cautiously before withdrawing his crossbow away from him. "Agreed" he finally said as he turned to the auburn haired girl. "After we defeat it, I want to look what's inside the treasure chest. I don't know what it is but there's something important inside that chest." When the collared boy finished, Rei clung on his cape even tighter.

"If we are going to take the Queen down" a well dressed girl joined in while the boy with headphones followed. "We'll have to work together to stop it." She turned her eyes at Kotone. "You seemed to have experience in leading a team and fending off Shadows here, yes?"

The auburn haired girl nodded meekly at her. "Then it's settled" the well dressed girl concluded. "Yuki and myself will assist you in defeating the Queen alongside with Seta and your two companions for now." She indicated to the boy with headphones and the composed one.

"Such annoying pests!" the Queen of Hearts cried out with a glowered look after seeing the five Persona-users cornering it. "Very well... I will crush you all myself!"

Kotone turned her head to the Queen and smirked playfully at it. "If you're going to crush us, we'll take the treasure off of your hands!"

This infuriated the Queen of Hearts. "I won't let you have this! Not even if our king demands it!" Furiously, it swept the five Persona users like flies with its hand. "I will not hand over my treasure to some loathsome peasants! I refuse!"

Luckily, they have managed to avoid the sweep attack. "You dare compare us to something so low to a peasant?" the well dressed girl questioned harshly.

Taking out her Evoker, she pulled the trigger to summon the Amazonian Queen Penthesilea. With a flick of her rapier, the Amazonian Queen immobilized the Shadow by letting the ice form around its body. The boy with headphones, as he called forth Orpheus the Master of Strings, followed up the attack by stumbling it with a flaming lyre.

Though the Queen has taken a significant amount of damage from the two Persona-users, it only fueled its fury against them. With its immense strength, the Queen of Hearts mowed them down. "How dare you attack me, the Queen herself?!" it roared. "What insolence! Such impudence! It's all so vulgar of you! Unforgivable!"

"Are you alright Mitsuru?" the boy with headphones asked the well dressed girl as he recovered from the attack. Despite wearing an ambivalent expression on his face, he was rather concern for her.

"I'm alright" the later replied. "I did not expect the enemy to be this strong." Rei went to the well dressed girl's side and healed her injuries until she recovered.

"It doesn't matter" Zen said. "We have managed to weakened it."

The composed boy glanced at the auburn haired girl expectantly. "We're ready" he said. "Are going for an All Out Attack?" Kotone did not hesitate to give out the order. Together, the five of them rushed towards the Queen of Hearts.

In one last attempt to save itself, the Queen called forth the remaining Royal Flush to its side, obediently protecting the Shadow to the death. While they aggressively fend the five away from the Queen, the Queen itself assisted them by summoning flames from its fans. However, although they valiantly defended the Queen of Hearts against them, the Royal Flush soon succumbed to the might of the five as they went all out on them.

The Queen of Hearts fell from its knees, exhausted both body and spirit. "I... I will not hand it over...the treasure is mine...!" it spluttered pathetically as it moved its own body to the treasure box. "The treasure is... it's..."

"It's ours now!" Kotone yelled, taking out her evoker and summoning Orpheus in the battlefield.

Alongside with the boy with headphones' own Persona, they shot a ball of fire at it, followed by a bolt of electricity from the composed boy's own Persona, the Japanese Creation Deity Izanagi. The impact of the three's powers was so strong that it broke the the Queen of Hearts' body, shattering it until there was no more but its essence.

The Queen was no more.

_***I apologized for the delay of the chapter. Thank you for supporting the story I've written. But, this is not the end though. I will continue on writing the story in the future. **_

_**P.S  
Expect very interesting strolls and requests. **_


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